1. Field of the Invention
Lighted bags can be used to enhance safety. This is particularly true for bags used for trick or treating. Small children are usually out after dark on Halloween. Even children accompanied by adults face a risk of not being seen at night by drivers. It is desirable to have some type of light source to make the children visible at a great distance. Such a light source would be conveniently incorporated into something that the child wears or carries. The prior art discloses several lighted bags that can be used for such purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,296 (Blume et al) discloses an illuminated carrying bag having transparent windows in the sidewall. Lights are positioned near the transparent portions and the inside surface of the sidewall has a protective flap 39 covering the lights.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,844 (Coyner et al) discloses a lighted baggage piece having a pocket extending along two sidewalls and the bottom wall in which a string of lights 84 is placed. The string of lights is connected to a power source located elsewhere in the bag and provides light to the interior of the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,054 (Dalgleish) discloses a bag having a transparent pouch in the bottom. A chemiluminescent wand is placed in the opening of the pouch and is activated to provide light.
The invention is a bag having a glow stick incorporated into the hem of the bag. The glow stick is placed in a horizontal position and extends across the majority of the bag""s upper width. It provides a light source without an independent power source and makes the bag visible from a great distance in the dark. In this way, a third party or driver will see the light located in the hem of the bag and be alerted that a person carrying the bag is also present. In such a way, the safety of the user is increased.
The bag uses a glow stick that has a chemiluminescence source. As such, the glow stick does not require its own power source and has no connections between the light stick and power a source. This simplicity increases the durability of the device since there are no connections that can fail and prevent the light source from operating. Preferably, the light source is able to be easily removed and inserted into the hem of the bag. This way, the light source (glow stick) can be easily replaced when it no longer functions. This allows the bag, if used for trick or treating, to be used for many occasions.
It is an object of the invention to provide a bag that increases the safety of the user, by being illuminated.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lighted bag that can be seen by drivers at night to alert the driver of the presence of the bag user.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a bag having a light source which does not need a separate power source.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a lighted bag that has a light source which is easily replaceable.